Vallance becomes second QC employed by law firm

City firm Berrymans Lace Mawer has taken the rare step of recruiting a senior silk as an in-house consultant to ensure the firm can adapt to the changing shape of the legal profession.Phillip Vallance QC is thought to be only the second silk to be employed by a law firm - the other being John Higham at Stephenson Harwood - but the move continues the trend of firms employing barristers or, in the case of Hammond Suddards Edge, opening an in-house chambers (see [2002] Gazette, 17 January, 5).'I am very open-minded about the fusion of solicitors and barristers professions, we will have to see what transpires over the next ten years,' said Mr Vallance.

'But no-one can predict what will happen and the key is to be flexible.'Keith Lonsdale, a construction partner at Berrymans, said: 'It is best for us to keep our options open concerning in-house advocacy.

At least with Phillip on board we will have a better insight into what to do if we choose to go down that particular route.'He added that clients had recently said they found the prospect of the continuity offered by an in-house barrister 'very attractive'.Mark Humphries, former chairman of the Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates, said that with firms doing more advocacy, it seemed logical to have more consolidation between firms and chambers.

'The only necessity in keeping the two sides separate is that they are locked in history and will never agree to join,' he said.Andrew Towler